Nathan wasn’t idle either.
The phantom images of stars appeared around him, and fierce flames roared to life.
With the Matou Residence as the boundary, blazing flames erupted, engulfing the entire Matou estate.
The attributes of Fire and Sun overlapped, pushing the flames’ temperature to another level.
However, soon countless bugs surged out from the basement.
They charged into the flames, emitting a foul-smelling, viscous liquid from their bodies.
After all, this was where Zouken had stayed for five hundred years.
His foundation here was incredibly deep.
Quickly, they tore Nathan’s magical barrier to shreds, leaving only the outer barrier surrounding the Matou Residence, preventing the Crest Worms from escaping.
Just then, a beast-like figure charged out from the Matou Residence, covered in magical traces.
Countless bugs crawled in and out of his skin, like a rotting corpse crawling out of the ground.
He charged at Nathan, but a jewel flew in and struck him directly.
Fire exploded, engulfing the figure.
Tokiomi walked up to Nathan and said: “I’ll handle that person.” He smiled wryly, choosing his words carefully.
“My Servant is also quite proud.
Since your Servant has already suppressed Berserker, they’re unwilling to intervene.” “I understand.” Nathan said.
“Powerful Servants all have their dignity.” As he spoke, he stepped toward Zouken.
Zouken looked at Nathan coldly: “Are you really going to go all the way?
Although the Clock Tower’s Lord family is indeed a behemoth, I haven’t lived for five hundred years for nothing.” “No, those five hundred years were indeed lived for nothing.” Nathan said.
“Can’t you even see the decline of your family’s bloodline due to not adapting to the local environment?
Look at the Einzberns.
Even though they come to Fuyuki for the Holy Grail War, they know to stay in their homeland.” “Yet you’d rather rot here.
The decline of your family due to not adapting to the environment… if I told that story to the Clock Tower’s Magi Families, they’d laugh themselves to death in front of me.” Nathan’s mockery made Zouken’s face completely darken: “Then let me test the future Lord’s skills.
Killing a future Lord of the Clock Tower, even if I am hunted down by the entire Clock Tower, it would still be a source of pride.” With that, countless bugs emerged from his body.
From the ruins behind him, many more bugs appeared, forming a storm of Crest Worms that surged toward Nathan.
Flames erupted from Nathan’s body, and a gale rose.
The fire, fueled by the wind, swept up all the Crest Worms.
Zouken was stunned: ‘Didn’t they say the Animusphere Family specializes in Astromancy Magecraft?
How is he so skilled in wind and fire magic?’ What he didn’t know was that after completing the first Sefirah, even the simplest Earth, Water, Fire, and Air magic became much more powerful in Nathan’s hands.
Nathan’s combined magic was the perfect counter to Zouken.
Using wind to gather the Crest Worms, then burning them all with fire.
‘Damn it!’ Zouken grew anxious.
If this continued, all the Crest Worms would be killed by Nathan, and he would be doomed.
Thinking this, he roared: “Kariya, what are you waiting for?
Kill Tohsaka Tokiomi and break out!” At Zouken’s command, the figure in front of Tokiomi became even more frenzied, charging forward with almost reckless abandon.
Even when Tokiomi hit him with a fireball, he didn’t seem to notice.
As long as he could break out of Nathan’s barrier, the Crest Worms on him could escape, and Zouken would survive!
“I didn’t expect it to really be you, Kariya.” Tokiomi looked with complex eyes at the beast-like man before him.
The two of them, along with his wife Tohsaka Aoi, had been childhood friends who were very close.
“How did you end up in this state?” Hearing Tokiomi’s question, the killing intent in Matou Kariya’s eyes intensified: “It’s all because of you!!!!” Originally, he had abandoned the competition for Tohsaka Aoi and simply run away because he hated the Crest Worms at home and didn’t want Aoi to fall into the Matou Family’s pit of fire.
Then, a while ago, Zouken had told him that Sakura was going to be adopted into the family.
He had rushed back, wanting to save Sakura.
But who knew that Tokiomi, under Nathan’s warning, wouldn’t give Sakura away.
However, Zouken wouldn’t give up on competing for the Holy Grail.
He had thrown Kariya into the worm pit and had him modified by the Crest Worms.
So, his tragic experience was entirely caused by Tokiomi!
“If it weren’t for you, I never would have ended up like this!” Kariya’s eyes were filled with killing intent.
Tokiomi’s innocent look made him want to tear this man apart.
“I must kill you!” Tokiomi frowned.
He had no idea what had happened to Kariya, nor could he understand why his childhood friend harbored such malice toward him.
But still— “If you can, then try.” He brandished his jewels.
“Betting on the honor of the Tohsaka Family, let us settle this here and now.” No matter how weak Tokiomi was, he was still a trained Magus.
Even if Zouken had turned Kariya into a bug repository, he was no match for him.
Right now, Kariya was only able to match Tokiomi through sheer recklessness and disregard for his own life.
“Aaahhh!!!!!” Suddenly, Kariya let out a scream.
Nearby, Scathach had stabbed her spear through Berserker’s armor, pinning him to the ground.
Berserker was frantically draining Kariya’s magical energy.
And Kariya’s magical energy was so thin that he couldn’t bear Berserker’s drain.
So the Crest Worms inside him began to absorb his life force, converting it into magical energy.
Seeing Kariya collapse to the ground, completely helpless, Tokiomi stopped attacking.
After all, they were acquaintances from childhood, and attacking Kariya in this state would also violate the elegance of the Tohsaka Family.
So, Tokiomi stopped and advised: “Kariya, if you give up your right to participate in this Holy Grail War now, I can spare your life.” “The Holy Grail War again…” Kariya’s throat let out a rattling sound.
He squeezed the last bit of strength from his body, suddenly leaped up, and pounced at Tokiomi.
Thump!!!
To Tokiomi’s shock, he directly tackled him, and like a wild beast, bit down!
The rotting stench of Kariya, along with the Crest Worms crawling all over him, assaulted Tokiomi’s senses.
After only a moment of shock, he felt a sharp pain in his ear… Kariya had bitten it off.
The Magic Crest on Tokiomi’s right hand lit up, and a series of dark energy bullets fired, striking Kariya directly.
Kariya finally died.